STEPHEN HOUSE'S proposals will see gangs being limited to what businesses they can run but it's claimed such a move would infringe on civil liberties.

SCOTLAND’S underworld gangs face being banned from owning security firms, taxis and pubs – without even appearing in court.

The plan has been given to the Government by Chief Constable Stephen House, who takes over ­Scotland’s single police force when the current eight merge in April.

A special judge would have powers to impose sanctions on suspects based on police intelligence rather than ­prosecution evidence.

House said: “We are not depriving them of their liberty. We are just putting some terms and conditions on how much damage they can do to society. We are being had over by these people because they know, if they keep themselves far enough away from the action, we can’t prove stuff against them.

“They are taking money out of your pocket and they are taking money out of my pocket.

“They are taking money out of the NHS and away from schools and they are turning it into profit for themselves.”

The plan would mean police submitting at least five separate intelligence reports to a judge.

If the Intelligence Commissioner is convinced by the police submission, they can stamp an order to limit the business activities of the suspect.

But not everyone welcomed the proposal.

Dr Stuart Waiton, a lecturer in criminology and sociology at Abertay University, said: “The police are proposing criminalising or regulating people’s lives based on evidence which would not be good enough for a court. Essentially, this is illegal.

“If anyone else did this they could be arrested for it. How can you justify simply going against the rules we have been governed by for hundreds of years?

“Are we just going to put them to one side and pretty much do what we like, based on evidence which would not be satisfactory in court?

“You are meant to be innocent until proven guilty – but that becomes no longer the case if this sort of thing gets pushed through.”